<p>Would it substantially affect your employability if you don't participate in any EC activities?</p>
<p>I’m sure others can chip in to answer this question:</p>
<p>Extracurricular activities (especially LEADERSHIP roles) can help distinguish you from other applicants. If you have limited work experience, ECs can help hiring managers figure out who you are, what are your interests, and what is your potential. ECs can also expose you to a variety of activities and situations. ECs won’t help you get the job, but they can certainly improve your chances of landing the interview. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that work experience will always carry greater weight. If you have the means to get a good internship or campus job (something related to major AND gives you transferrable skills), do it! </p>
<p>I was pretty active in undergrad; I am even active in graduate school (I currently hold three “leadership” positions). I am gaining EC experience to learn more about the profession and improve my chances of landing a management offer upon graduation.</p>
<p>Look at it from this perspective: you can build a network through EC involvement.</p>
<p>Do the chances of landing an interview increase because you have networked and you have people who can “hook you up” or because the EC itself makes an employer who’s never heard of you before more interested in you? </p>
<p>And how hard is it to get an interview? Specifically, how hard is it to get an interview in Engineering? Not for some crazy bank or whatever place hires 1 person for every 500 applicants, but to get an interview for a decent job out of engineering?</p>